Door-hinge.



W. H. NORTHALL.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

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WITNESSES ATTORN EY UNITED STATESIPATEN T OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. NORTHALL, F EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO CHARLES W. I-IALSEY, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

DOOR-HINGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

I To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. NORTH- ALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evansville, in the county of Vanderburg and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Door-Hinge, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in hinges, more especially spring hinges wherever such hinges may be used, and the object of the invention is to provide a hinge of simple and inexpensive construction, but of marked durability and strength, in which the spring may be tightened or released by the use of a simple wire nail or any convenient small rod, and which may be hung by persons even of little skill in such matters.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that whlle the showing of the drawings is of a practical embodiment of the invention, various modifications or changes may be made in the structure and .arrangement of parts without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is an eleva tion of a hinge and adjacent parts joined by the hinge. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section of one end of the hinge at right angles to the section of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of the spring and terminal members to which the spring is connected, these parts being removed from'the hinge casing. Fig. 6 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the ratchet member and pivot pin of the hinge in separate relation. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of one end of one of the hinge members.

Referring to the drawings, there are shown two adjacent members 1, 2, which may represent, respectively, a door jamb and a door, or any two members to be hinged together. To one member there is secured a hinge leaf 3 and to the other member there is secured a hinge leaf 4, these leaves being inset so that their outer faces are flush with the edge of the door and jamb, respectively, as is the common practice. The hinge leaf 3 has secured to or formed along its outer edge a cylindrical casing 5, while the hinge leaf f]: has formed on its outer edge a concaved web 6 of a size to partially receive and embrace the casing 5. The web 6 has at its ends heads 7, 8, respectively, which may be either formed on or secured to the web, and these heads are in parallel relation one to the other, and of a size and properly separated to match the ends of the casing 5 when seated in the web member of the hinge. The two heads 7 and 8 are each formed with a central perforation 9, 10, respectively, for the passage of a pivot pin 11 of the same general character as is commonly used in hinges of the type to which this invention relates. One end of the pin 11 is formed with a head 12 which, where joining or merging into the pin, is provided wlth an annular flange l8 limiting the insertlon of the pin through the head 7. The pin 1s of sufiicient length to project a short disstancebeyond the other head 8, and at a point near said end is formed with a straight square portion 14 for a purpose which will presently appear.

The head 8 on its outer face is formed with a lug 15, to one side of the center of the head, and preferably between the same and the leaf 1, and pivoted to this lug is a lever 16 extending dlametrically of the head 8 toward the outer edge thereof. This lever has a short arm formed with a boss 17 provided with a socket 18 on the side toward the head 8, and in said head 8 there is formed a matching socket 19, the two sockets forming seats for a spring 20 of the compression type. The short end of the lever is bent in a manner to permit the rocking of the lever on the lug 15 to a limited extent before this movement is stopped by the engagement of the short end of the lever with the outer face of the head 8. On the side of the center of the head 8 remote from the lug 15 there is formed a perforation or slot 21, one edge 22 of which may be shaped as a tooth. The longer end of the lever 16 extends over the perforation 21- and is there formed with a fixed pawl 23 extending through the perforation and beyond the inner face of the head 8 when the lever is in its normal position against the outer face of the head 8 under the action of the spring 20, but this pawl may be withdrawn so that its free end no longer projects beyond the inner face of the head 8, such movement being permitted by the rocking of the lever 16 against the action of the spring 20. The pawl 23 has an inclined or beveled edge '24, and has on one side a notch 25 matching the tooth 22, but it will be understood that the tooth 22 and notch 25 may be otherwise shaped than shown, the purpose being to prevent withdrawal of the pawl 23 when the tooth 22 is seated in the notch 25. The size of the slot 21 is such as to permit a suificient'movement of the lever 16 along the face of the head to release the notch 25 from the tooth 22, so that the lever may then be moved on its pivot support in the lug 15 to withdraw the pawl 23 to the desired'extent the lever having sufiicient play for the purpose. In order to manipulate the lever, the latter is formed with a knob 26 which may conform to the knob 12 and may have any desired ornamental configuration.

The casing 5 is open ended and at one end is provided with a recess 27 for a radially disposed pin 28 projecting from a spring holder 29 adapted tothe corresponding end of the casing 5, this spring holder 29 having a neck 30 of less diameter than the interior diameter of the casing, the greatest diameter of the spring holder being such that the latter may be readily introduced into the corresponding end ofthe casing until the pin 28 is seated in the recess 27. The other end of the casing is countersunk, as indicated at 31, to receive a spring holder 32 similar to the spring holder 29, and this spring holder 32 is provided with a portion 33 of reduced diameter like the portion 30 of the spring holder 29. spring holders are provided with axial passages 34, 35, respectively, for the pivot pin 11, and the spring holder 32 has the passage 35 reduced in size at one end, as indicated at 36-, Fig. 6, this reduced portion being preferably square, or 0; other non-circular form. The outerface of the spring holder 32' is formed with a circular series of ratchet teeth'37 in concentric relation to the longitudinal axis of the said spring holder, and when in place in the casing 5 and the latter is properly positioned in the web 6, the

awl 23 is in operative relation to these ratchet teeth 37 The reduced portion 33 of the spring holder 32 carries a radial pin 38 and the spring holder 29 is formed with a peripheral recess 39 shaped with a tongue 49.. The reduced portions 30 and 33 of the respective spring holders 29 and 32 receive the respective ends of a spring 41 of a size to be readily housed in the casing 5, and the ends of-this spring are returned on themselves, as indicated at'42, to engage the pin 38 ofthe spring holder 32 and the tongue 40 of the spring holder 29 so that when these'fspring holders are relatively turned about 'the-longitudinal" axis of the pin 11,

Both of thesethe spring may be placed under tension, or

the unwinding of the spring will cause a like relative movement of the two spring holders in the reverse direction to that winding of the spring. The spring 11 between the facing ends of the two spring holders 29 and 32 surrounds a sleeve 43 acting as a filling sleeve for the spring to prevent the latter from being wound beyond a predetermined extent, for such overwinding might be injurious to the spring.

The head 12 is shown provided with passages 44, designed for the reception of a wire nail of proper size, or a small rod, as may be found most expedient.

It is often desirable that the hinge shall have a restricted movement determined by stop members formed on the hinge face. This is accomplished by providing the hinge leaf 3 adjacent to its junction with the casing 5 with stop members 45 in position to engage the outer faceof the web 6 at the ends-tl1ereof,'the remainder of they outer edge of the web being curved to carry it away from engagement with the hinge leaf 3 other than at the extension 45. Of course, if desirable, the entire outer edge of the web 6 may be utilized as a stop member, or where it is immaterial that the turning of the hinge be limited by parts of the hinge,

the web 6 may be omitted, and the heads 7 and 8 may be carried directly by the hinge wing 4, but usually for purposes of strength and rigidity the web 6 is employed. The hinge wing of the web 6 is not as long as the web, and the hinge wing of the sleeve 5 is of approximately the same length as the latter, so that the heads 7 and 8 and the stop members 45 also operate as depth means for determining the inset of the hinge wings in the door or door j amb, as the case may be.

To assemble the hinge the spring holder 29 is inserted in the proper end of the casing 5, so that the pin 28 is seated in the recess" 27. The spring is then introduced into the casing, so that its corresponding end 42 embraces the lip 40 of the spring holder 29. The sleeve 43 is then inserted in the spring and the spring holder 32 follows and the pin 38 is moved into engagement with the corresponding end 42 of the spring. The outer ends of the two spring holders are now flush with the ends of the casing 5 or approximately so, and by manipulating the lever 16 to draw the pawl 23 out of the way the casing 5 is readily introduced between the heads 7 and 8, whereupon the release of the lever 16 will cause the pawl 23 to enter between two of the teeth 37 of the spring holder 32. The pin 11' is now inserted through the head 7 and ultimately seats in the recess 45 of the lever 16, the squared portion 14 of the pin, 11 being in the squared passage36 of the spring holder 32. By means of a nail or other implement introduced into one of the sockets 4A the pin 11 is given a rotative movement and the spring holder 32 is turned in the direction to wind the spring, the teeth 37 snapping by thepawl 23 and such movement is continued until the spring is put under the desired tension, when the reactive movement of the spring 41 will cause a seating of the tooth 22 in the notch 25 of the pawl 28, thus locking the pawl and lever carrying it from movement away from the head 8. When it is desired to release the spring or to reduce its tension, the spring is first tightened slightly to release the pawl 23, when the pawl may be moved out of the path of the teeth 37 and the spring turned backward as far as desired. To dismantle the hinge requires simply a reversal of the operations of assembling the hinge.

The structure contributes to the ease with which repairs may be made and the casing 5 and web 6 together "with the hinge leaves 3 and 4 may be made of sheet metal or may be cast, depending upon the size of the hinge and the price at which it is to be sold, together with the degree of ornamentation which may be desired.

What is claimed is 1. A spring hinge comprising two members, one housed in the" other, a pivot pin or pintle traversing the parts in axial relation thereto, a spring within the housed member, a ratchet member engaging one end of said spring and also lodged in the housed member and provided with teeth presented toward the corresponding end of the hinge, and a pawl for the ratchet carried by the corresponding end of the housing member and having a manipulating portion exterior to the said end of the housing member, said pawl being mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the ratchet in substantially the direction of the length of the pivot pin or pintle.

2. In a hinge, a spring, a ratchet member engaging the spring and provided with a circular series of teeth concentric with the longitudinal axis of the hinge and extending in the same direction as said longitudinal axis, and a pawl lever carried by the corresponding end of the hinge and provided with a pawl for engaging the ratchet, said lever being readily accessible for manipulation and mounted for movement to carry the pawl thereon into and out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet member in substantially the direction of the length of the pivot pin or pintle.

3.- A spring hinge comprising a cylindrical casing, a housing member therefor having spaced heads adapted to receive the casing and close the ends thereof, a spring within the casing, means for coupling one end of the spring to the casing, a ratchet member within the casing and having means for coupling it to the other end of the spring, and a spring controlled lever exterior to one of the heads of the housing member and provided with a pawl exten sion projecting through the head carrying the lever into the path of the ratchet teeth of the ratchet member.

4. A hinge provided with a spring and a ratchet member connected to said spring, an inclosing member for the spring and ratchet member having a portion in relatively fixed relation to the ratchet member and provided with a slot or perforation formed with a tooth, and a pawl member carried by the relatively fixed member and provided with a pawl extending through the slot or perforation into operative relation to the ratchet teeth of the ratchet member, the pawl being shaped to coact with the tooth in the slot of the relatively fixed member to lock the pawl in engagement with the ratchet member.

5. In a spring hinge, a spring, a ratchet member connected thereto, a relatively fixed member in operative relation to the ratchet member and provided with a passage therethrough coincident with the teeth of the ratchet member, and a pawl member carried by said relatively fixed member and provided with a pawl adapted to the passage through the fixed member, said passageway and pawl being relativelv shaped and coacting to lock the pawl against release from the ratchet member under working conditions.

6. A spring hinge comprising two hinge members one movable relative to the other, one member having a cylindrical casing and the other member being provided with spaced heads forming closures for the cylindrical casing, a spring housed in the cylindrical casing, spring holders for said spring adapted to be also housed in the cylindrical casing, one of said spring holders being formed withratchet teeth in concentric relation to the longitudinal axis of the hinge and projecting toward the head closing the corresponding end of the cylindrical casing, and a lever mounted on the said head on the face thereof remote from the cylindrical casing and provided with a pawl normally extending through said head into operative relation to the ratchet teeth, said lever having a spring normally tending to hold the lever in operative position, the pawl and the head to which it extends being coactively shaped to lock the pawl against retraction when a tooth is in engagement with the pawl and the spring is under tension.

7. A'spring hinge comprising two members, a pintle connecting said members, a spring within one of the members in surrounding relation to the pintle, said spring being connected at one end to the corresponding hinge member, a ratchet member connected to the other end of the hinge and other, and the pintle having means whereby provided with ratchet teeth, and a pawl rotative movement may be imparted thereto. lever carried by the other member of the In testimony, that I claim the foregoing hinge than the one carrying the ratchet as my own, I have hereto aflixed mysignamembea, said pawl lever beinghprovided a; ture in the presence of two witnesses.

one en with a spring, and at t e other en with a pawl movable by the spring into op- WILLIAM NORTHALL. erative relation to the ratchet member, the Witnesses:

pintle and lever being provided with manip- CARL LANGNER,

ulating knobs in alinement one with the C. W. MCKINNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

